Breault Research and East Carolina University Increase Understanding of Cancer Treatment Method; Software Predicts Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy for Bladder Cancer.

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Researchers at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (ECU) are examining new methods of cancer treatment planning using Breault Research Organization's (BRO) Advanced Systems Analysis Program (ASAP(R)).

This new type of treatment, called photodynamic therapy (PDT), uses drugs that react to specific wavelengths of light to trigger cancer cells to self-destruct. Photodynamic therapy treatments have several benefits over traditional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation treatment, with faster treatment times and less severe side-effects. FDA-approved use of PDT is limited to only a small number of cancers -- certain types of esophageal cancer, lung cancer, and a precancerous skin condition called actinic keratosis -- but research is expanding the possibilities.

One such possibility is the treatment of bladder cancer using PDT, an area being investigated by Dr. Claudio Sibata and his team at the Brody School of Medicine. Photodynamic therapy is not widely applied to bladder cancer due to a high incidence of fibrosis after treatment, which may be a result of "light overtreatment and inhomogeneous light delivery" according to a poster presented on PDT and bladder cancer by Dr. Sibata's research group.

The problem of non-uniform illumination is a complex one, especially since each patient's bladder is unique. In order to better understand how this distinctive geometry contributes to treatment efficacy, researchers at the Brody School of Medicine have created a "virtual bladder" for use in BRO's ASAP Optical Software.

Using computed tomography (CT) images of a patient's lower abdomen, researchers were able to derive a three-dimensional bladder model. This model was then imported into ASAP for detailed analysis of light absorption by the bladder and comparison with a spherical approximation. Using this technique, they were able to conclude that using a spherical assumption can lead to a twofold increase in the fluence on the bladder wall, which may contribute to the overtreatment problems seen in some bladder PDT cases.

"The tissue modeling capabilities of ASAP, when coupled with the ability of the software to handle complex geometries such as the human bladder, make it an ideal tool for medical and bio-optics research," said Paul Holcomb, a BRO biomedical engineer developing bio-centric plug-ins for ASAP. "Optical software will have its place among other tools advancing medical technology," added Holcomb.

About Breault Research Organization (BRO)

Founded in 1979, BRO is an optical engineering firm of global reach and reputation, providing an international array of clients with innovative solutions. Industries serviced by BRO include: aerospace, automotive, biotechnology, consumer electronics, defense, medical, semiconductor, and telecommunications sectors. BRO's Advanced Systems Analysis Program (ASAP) is the leading program uniting geometrical and physical optics with full 3D models of optical and mechanical systems. More than 20 years of continuous enhancement gives ASAP incomparable simulation capabilities for the physics of optical systems. BRO provides optics training, technical support & documentation, and enterprise consulting services. BRO sets true foundations for today's solutions and the future's advance.